Rail connection



Jan. 9, 1923.

. 1,441,804. J. HERSH.

RAIL CONNECTION."

FILED MAY 31. 1922.

li atented silent il l llilh litlllllii GUNhTEGllElEUllI'.

Application filed littay till, 1922. fieria]. lilo. Midfldl.

To all to 7mm it may concern:

Belt known that l, Jenn ll nnsir, a citizen of the United States, residing}; at llairhope, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and. useful improvements in llail Connections, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rail connections and has for its object the provision of a novel and improved rail connection whereby the meeting}; ends oi? two rails may be connected without the use oi bolts and nuts or similar :l asteners as are usually employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail connection which can be quickly applied to the meeting ends of two rails and which when in position will elt'e :tually maintain the rails against lateral or tilting movement.

A further object of the invention is to tarnish a device of the kind stated which is simple in onstruction, highly ellicient in the use for which it has been designed, and which. may be manufactured at a relatively small. cost.

With the above and other objects in View, as will. become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention comprises a novel combination and arrangement ol parts to be hereinafter described and claimed and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

lln the drawing:

Figure 1 is aside elevation showing the application oi. my invention;

Fig; 2 is a top plan View ldigfld is a section on the line of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a detail showing one ol the yoke-spreaiding: rods.

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed and in which like reference characters designate like parts thronglumtthe several views, numeral 5 denotes the meeting ends of two rails oi the conventional type. .i'lpplicd. to either side of the rails 5 are opposed longitudinally disposed clamping plates 6 and 6? respectively each of Which has a longitudinal. cut away porticn'in proximity tothe bottom inside edgethereo't, as shown at 7, to term a chair tor the reception or the lease portions 8 ct the rail.

(June of the loi'iq'itudinal clamping members 6 carries in its inside :taee a plurality of transversely projecting pins 9 which are adapted to extend through the usual transverse bolt holes at the ends of the rails 5, and. into alined apertures in the inner longitudinal ia cc oi the other clamping member 6. Upon the outer face of each of the clamping members 6 and 6 and preferably at the medial portion thereof, is cut a vertical slot 10 leading; into a horizontal slot 11 near the top oi said member. The slot 1.1 of each of the clamping}; members is in the same horizontal plane and the outer p rtions oi said slots ll. are sloped on"- wardly and terminate short of the ends oi? the clamping members t3.

The means for holding; the clamping members 6 and (5 against the rail ends will now be described.

A pair of yokes 12 are provided, the inturned opposed end. portions 13 of each being insertable into the opposed vertical slots 10. The end portions 13 of one yoke having been inserted in the vertical slots 10 of the clamping members 6 and 6 respectively, the yoke may be pushed vertically upward in said slots to engage in the horizontal slots 11, whereupon it may he slid outwardly t clamp the members 6 and 6 against the rails 5 The outward slope of the slots 11 toward their ends serves to clamp the rails tighter as the yoke approaches the ends or? said slots. The second yoke applied in. the same manner as previously described but is disposed in the ends of said slots 11 opposite lt'rom the first yoke. In this way it provide a clamping action upon either side of the rail joint. [is a means for maintaining the yol tes 152 at points remote from the Vertical slots 10, ll provide the yolres with sockets in the inner tacos i. their arms for the reception of rots M; which are bent as shown in llig. 4;, when inserted into said sockets and which may be straiggghtened to a more or less de- ,e ree alter their insertion into the sockets to clamp the rails as the occasion may require.-

lll'ie side members 6 and (5 have ventral steps 15 intermediate their ends resting v nal er oi the clamping members 6 and 6" adjacent the ends thereof for the reception of spikes 16 for locating the assembly in position. From an inspection oi .l igsl. and 3 it will be noted that the inturned ends 13 oi? the yokes are beveled to conform to the slope of the respective ends oi the slots 11 in which they'are placed. In this way a wedging action is had between the yoke ends 13 and the outwardly directed slope of the slots 11 as the yokes are urged toward the ends thereof.

From the foregoing description, real in connection with the accompanying drawing, the application of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and while I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be expressly understood that I do not propose to limit myself thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a rail connection the combination with the meeting ends of two rails; of a pair of opposed clamping members having opposed longitudinal recesses near their bottom edges extendingthroughout their length and forming a chair for the base portions of the rails, each of said clamping; members having a. vertical slot in its medial portion and a horizontal slot into wnich each of said vertical slots opens said horizontal slots decreasing. in depth in the direction of their ends, and clamping elements insertable into said vertical slots and slidable laterally in said horizontal slots for holding said rails in position.

2. In rail connection, the combination with the meeting ends of two rails; of a pair of opposed clamping members having; ogposed longitudinal recesses near their bottom edges extending throughout their length and forming a chair for the base portions of the rails, each of said clamping members having a vertical slot in its medial portion and a horizontal slot into which each of Sitii vertical slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing in depth in the direction ol their ends, laterally disposed pins rigidly carried in the inner face of one of said clamping: members, the meeting ends of said rails having apertures therein through which said pins extend the other clamping" member having sockets into which the ends of: said pins extend, and clamping elements insertable into said vertical slots and slidable laterally in said horizontal slots for holding said rails in position.

3. In a rail connection, the combination with (he meeting); cu ls: o. two Mils pair of opposed clzuupim" mcnil trs having, opposed longitudinal l'tkft 5 near their boltom edges extending throughout their length and forming a chair tor the base portions of the rails, carh ol said clamping members having a vertical slot in its medial portion and a horizontal slot into which each o l said vertical slots opens. said horizontal slots decreasing in depth in the direction of their ends and clamping elements insrrlablc iulo said vertical slots and slidable laterally in said horizontal slots for holding; said rails in positiom and means for maintaining said clamping elements in the remote ends of said slots.

4t. in a rail connection. lhe combination w th the meeting ends of two rails; of a pair of opposed clamping; members having opposed longitiujlinal reres cs near their boitom edges extending throi'lg hout their lcnglh and forming; a chair for the base portions ol the rails, each oi? said clan'lpin mrmbcw having a vertical slot in its medial portion and a horizontal slotinto which each ol said vertical slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing in depth in the direct ion of their ends, laterally disposed pins .ri; :jid l v carried in the inner taco of one o't said clamping members the meeting; ends of said rails having apertures therein through which said pins extend. and the other clampin; member having; sockets into which the ends extend, clam nnn' elements insertahlc inlo said vertical slots and slidable laterally in said horizontal slots tor lmldiu said rails in position, and means for maintaining said vlampinn elements in the remote ends of said slots.

5. In a rail connection. the combination with the meeting ends of two rails; ol :1 pair opposed clamping members havin! opposed longitudinal recesses near their bottom edges exlendin; throughout their length and forming a chair for the base portions of the rails, each ct said clamping members having: a vertical slot in its media] portion and a horizontal slot into which earh'ot said vcrti slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing in depth in the direction of their ends, clamping yokcs having opposed inturned ends insertablc in said vcrtiral slots and slidable laterally in the horizontal slots toward the. shallow ends thereof. the opposed inturned ends ot each oi said yokcs luv-- ingbeveled to cou'lmm to the angle of the outward incline of said slots.

(3. In a rail connectiom the combination with the meeting ends of two rails; of a pair of opposed clamping members havin; opposed longitudinal recesses near their bottom edges extending throughout their length and forming a chair for the base portions of the rails, each of said clamping members having a vertical slot in its medial portion atinos and a horizontal slot into which each of said vertical slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing in depth in the direction of their ends, laterally disposed pins rigidly carried in the inner "face of one oi said clamping members, the meeting ends of said rails having apertures therein through which said pinsextend, and the other clamping memher having sockets into which the ends of said. pins extend, clamping yohes having opposed inturned ends insert-able in said vertic-a1 slots and slidable laterally in the horizontal slots toward the shallow ends thereol, the opposite interned ends of each of said yokes being beveled to conform to the angle of: the outward incline of said slots.

7. in a rail connection, the combination with the meeting ends 01 two rails; of a pair of opposed clamping members having; op-

posed longitudinal recesses near their bottom edges extending throughout their length. and forming a chair for the base portions of the rails, each oi said clamping; members having a vertical. slot in its medial portion and a horizontal slot into which each oi said vertical. slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing in depth in the direction of their ends, clamping yokes having opposed inturned ends inset-table in said ver tical slots and slidable laterally in the horizontal slots toward the shallow ends thereof, the opposed inturned ends of. each of said yokes being beveled to conform to the angle of the outward incline of said slots, and said yokes having opposed sockets in the arms thereof and means insertable therein for urging the yokes toward the ends of said horizontal slots and remote from said vertical slots.

8. ln a rail connection, the combination with the meeting ends of two rails; of a pair oil opposed clamping members having opposed longitudinal recesses near their bottom edges extending throughout their length and forming a chair for the base portions of the rails, eah of said. clamping members having a vertical slot in its medial portion and a horizontal slot into which each of said vertical slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing in. depth in the directie-n. oi their ends, laterally disposed pins rigidly carried in the inner face of one of said clamping" members, the meeting ends of said rails having apertures therein through i' which. said pins extend, the other clamping member having sockets into which the ends of said pins extend, clamping yokes having;

opposed inturned ends insertalble in said vertical slots and slidable laterally in the horizontal slots toward the shallow ends thereof, the opposed inturned ends of each of said. yokes being beveled to conform to the angle of the outward incline of said slots and said yokes having opposed sockets in the arms thereof and means insertahle therein for urging the yokes toward the ends 01". said horizontal slots and remote from said vertical slots.

9. In a rail connection, the combination with the meeting ends oi. two rails; of a pair oil opposed clamping members, each of said clamping members having a vertical slot is its medial portion and a horizontal slot into which each of said vertical slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing in depth in the direction of their ends, and Clamping elements insertable into said ver* tical slots and slidable laterally in. said horizontal slots for holding said rails in position.

10. In a rail connection, the combination with the meeting ends oi two rails; of a pair of opposed clamping; members, each of said. clamping members having a vertical slot in its medial portion and a horizontal slot into which each of said vertical slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing; in depth in the direction oi. their ends, laterally disposed pins received in the inner faces of said clamping members, the meeting ends of said rails having apertures therein through which said pins extend. and clamping elements insertable into said vertical slots and slidable laterally in said horizontal slots tor holding said rails in position.

11. in a rail connection, the combination with the meeting ends of two rails; of a pair of opposed clamping members, each of said clamping members having," a vertical slot in its medial portion and a horizontal slot into which each of said vertical slots opens, said horizontal slots decreasing is depth in the direction of their ends, laterally disposed pins received in the inner faces of said clamping); members, the meeting ends of said rails having; apertures therein through which said pins extend, clamping elements insertahle into said vertical slots and slidable laterally in said horizontal slots, and means For maintaining: said clamping ele ments in the remote ends of said slots.

In testimony whereof ll ailix my signature.

JOHN nnnsn. 

